The League of Extraordinary Caffinated Substances
by Sunscorched
Summary: Chloe likes her men like she likes her coffee...
1. Chapter 1

Title: The League of Extraordinary Caffinated Substances

Authors: Sunscorched and Stop Dreaming

Emails: Miss_.uk

Rating: PG

Category: Humour

Content: Chloe/Oliver

Summary: Chloe likes her men like she likes her coffee...

Disclaimer: We own nixies

Distribution: Here, there, everywhere!

Notes: The idea and coffee descriptions belongs to Stop Dreaming, so all credit goes to her for this fic.

Victor Stone was one in a million, Chloe decided as she watched him work the Watchtower's main system with more ease than she could ever have. Not surprising when one took in his circumstances.

Thanks to his help, something that would have taken her a good two weeks had only taken five or six days, thus saving her a fair few headaches and sleepless nights.

While Ollie worried about the annual taxes, she worried about general maintenance and security of both Watchtower and the computers of the League. Again she looked at Victor and smiled. He dealt with the software while she dealt with the hardware. Thin wires were easier to handle when one had small fingers.

Plus, Victor did have the talent of being able to plug himself directly in the mainframe, something which she both envied and cursed.

Sighing, Chloe checked her watch and noted the others would be back soon, hopefully bearing gifts of food and beer for later.

She pushed herself out of her seat. "My brain says it's still work time, but my heart says coffee time. You want?"

Victor threw a grin of gratitude over his shoulder. "Only if you're making for yourself."

The look she gave him made his shoulders shake as mirth filled his eyes. "Do I look like coffee lady to you?" She arched a brow.

He held up his hands in submission, the mirth never fading. "Milk, no..."

"Sugar," Chloe stated as she headed towards the kitchen. "I got it."

Course she did and that was why she held the mantal of Watchtower. She knew everything about all of them, from their drink of choice to what food they ate. Hell, she probably knew A.C sat down to take a piss.

They got into trouble and she got them out, she took care of them, made sure they kept their feet well and truly on the ground, especially when it came to things that made them furious. She made them think before acting, made them remember they weren't in it alone anymore, made them feel special as opposed to feeling like a freak.

Sure, they all had lives separate to the mission, like A.C had his animal rights campaigns and Ollie had Queen Industries and Bart had...

Victor sighed.

Bart had pretty little Mexican senoritas to keep him busy.

Those lives always brought them back to Watchtower, back to home, back to the one place and one person they relied on.

He was glad to have Chloe Sullivan watch his back.

A signal beeping alerted him to the fact defragmentation of the Tower's impressive hard drive and he glanced at the main screen to double check the files.

Victor scanned the list of files and frowned when one seemed to stand out. A tiny little 6 kilobyte text document in amongst terabyte documents?

He sighed in annoyance. As great as the Tower was, it'd be plain old rotten luck they got a damn worm.

He ran a hand down his face before isolating the file and opening it up.

Okay, it wasn't a worm, it was a list. A shopping list by the looks of things and he was about to close it down when names caught his attention.

Familar names, at that.

Victor glanced back to the top of the list and read slowly. "C.S.L..." Who or what was the C.S.L and what did it have to do with them? Was it another group?

His eyes widened a fraction.

If it was another group, then maybe they were after Chloe and this was her way of leaving a clue...

He slyly looked at Chloe and he saw she was busy, he slipped his cell out of his pocket and sent a quick multi-text to all and sundry.

If this C.S.L was after Chloe, they'd have go through them first.

"We're back and we bring..." Ollie was cut short when a text message from his phone coincided with text messages from the others' phones.

A.C, Bart, Bruce, Carter, Courtney, and himself simultaenously retrieved their phones and saw the words All Hands On Deck.

They looked at each other and then looked at Victor, who put a finger to his lips and gestured to where Chloe was before frantically waving them over to where he stood.

Ollie was first there. "What is it?" He hissed, his eyes straying over to the kitchen.

"I found a file," Victor replied, just as quietly. "It was small enough to draw attention and I thought it was a dumbass worm or something, so I isolated it and..."

"In your own time, Cyborg."

Victor pulled a face. "There's a group, the C.S.L, and I think..." He nodded in Chloe's direction.

Oliver tensed and his eyes darkened.

No.

Damn.

Way.

"Show me."

Without hesitation, he moved aside so Ollie could see the writing, but the man didn't do that. The man went straight to the source.

"Chloe," his voice practically shook the walls. "Get over here."

Victor smacked his forehead. Way to be discreet, Queen, he thought.

Chloe jumped a mile when her man shouted and she almost spilled the drinks. "You bellowed?" She asked, displeasure evident on her face. Years and he still hadn't learned she wasn't deaf.

Ollie ignored the sarcasm and stared at her, the others shifting in discomfort at the rising tension. "Who is the C.S.L?"

She frowned as she passed one drink to Victor. "Who?"

"Chloe..."

Green eyes sharpened at his angry tone. "Ollie..."

Not wanting to take the flack for being a snitch, "I'll just be over here," and Victor moved toward the others, casually ignoring their curious looks.

Ollie narrowed his eyes at her acidic tone. "Victor found a file about the C.S.L. It mentioned our names and don't bother playing ignorant, cos there's proof something's going down and I wanna know what that is. Especially what is has to do with you."

Chloe's frown increased and she followed the direction of his finger as he pointed at the screen. Her face began to burn and she went to quickly get rid of it before all of them knew what was on it.

He was not only quicker than her, but stronger and it was easy to remove her cup and prevent her from destroying the evidence. "Lemme go!" She screeched and struggled against his iron grip. "It's not what you think! It's private!"

"Let her go, Queen," Carter stepped forward.

"Back off, Tweetie."

"If she says it's private..." Courtney piped up, blue eyes wide with the commotion.

Chloe managed to pull herself away from Ollie and brushed her hair away from her very flushed face. "They have more trust in me than you do!"

"I don't care about trust, Sidekick. I care about you and if this C.S.L is after you, then I'll do whatever it takes. If that means locking you in an ivory tower, then I'll lock you up in an ivory tower."

A.C, Bart, Bruce, Carter, and Courtey all changed their tune when Ollie's words hit the air. Someone was after Chloe?

Chloe rolled her eyes. "No-one is after me, you neanderthal!"

Ollie glared at Carter when he snorted. "Can it, Quackadoodle." Turning back to Chloe, he folded his arms and waited for an explanation and when nothing came, he shrugged. "Fine, I'll read it myself."

Panic washed over her face. "No don't! Please?"

It was that panic which made the decision for him.

Oliver looked directly at the screen and read aloud, so all of them knew what was coming. "Arthur Curry," he read, voice strained. "Wears citrusy clothes and likes water with a twist of lemon, so he'd be Senseo Kenya Blend, vibrant & zesty."

Confusion replaced the anger. Vibrant and zesty? "What the crap?"

Chloe was inspecting her nails when A.C spoke up. "I'm what?"

The only thing that made her look up was the silence that had fallen on the room.

Courtney meekly raised her hand. "Isn't that a type of coffee?"

"Yes," came the roughened voice of Bruce Wayne.

A.C's head tilted to one side as he looked at Chloe, his lips twitched more the longer he stared. "You named me a coffee? Dude, that's pretty sweet. I'm zesty!"

Oliver scowled at him. "Hey!"

"Don't look at me, man," came the pleased response. "Your honey did it."

His brown eyes went straight to the girl in question. "You named him a coffee?"

There was no way out of it now. Chloe sighed and swallowed the pride as she spoke with a defeated voice. "Caffinated Substance League," she said, her face getting redder. "I got bored one night."

Several sets of eyebrows rose at the admission, but it was Bart who spoke. "You named us a coffee?"

"Yes, okay?" She half yelled. "I named you all coffees. Happy? Can we get back to what we were doing now? Great..."

"Hold on, hold on," Oliver cut in. "What did you give me?"

"And me," Bart piped in, bouncing in excitement.

"Colour me curious," Bruce added.

"As am I," Carter added.

Courtney nodded. "Me too."

Chloe glared at each and every one of them before landing on Victor. "I suppose you're dying to know, too."

He thought about lying, but her expression made him think twice. "If you want to tell me, I'll be happy to hear it."

All men in the room groaned. Trust the robot to be a gent about it.

She gave him a shark's smile. "You're drinking it."

Victor moved his mug away. He was drinking himself? "What is it?"

Ollie was quick to look. "Victor Stone, the voice of reason yet quirky. Kenco Pure Colombian, balanced and fruity." He paused. "Fruity, huh? Somethin you not tellin us, Cyborg?"

Victor scowled. "I'm not... Fruity? Really?"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "You can be fun when you want to be and you know it, but you just don't show it as often as you show your reasoning."

He stood a little straighter and grinned slightly. "Here that, guys? I'm fruity!"

A.C returned the grin. "I'm zesty!"

They high-fived.

Oliver shot a smirk at them, one that clearly said _mine is gonna rock_, then turned to look at his. "Oliver Queen," he said, unable to keep the arrogance out of his voice. "Oliver Queen, moneyed and a bit wreckless at times. Colombia Blend, rich and velvety with a slighty nutty aroma."

The arrogance instantly disappeared as he slowly looked to his woman. "Nutty? I'm not nutty."

Chloe couldn't help herself. He deserved all he got after his earlier temper tantrum. "If the cashew fits."

His mouth dropped open. "I'm allergic to nuts, so I can't be nutty."

Bart cheerfully jumped on it. "Bossman's crazy!"

"I'm not crazy!"

A.C shrugged. "That's the definition of nutty. You know, nuts."

"I'm not nuts!"

Carter's lips curled up. "Denial is the strongest form of admission."

Oliver raised a finger in warning. "If I'm nuts, let's see what yours is, Big Bird."

Chloe cringed as he made a point of reading it as sarcastically as possible. "Carter Hall, wise and straight to the point, yet smoke and mirrors. Ages well."

Ollie fell quiet and Carter grunted impatiently. "Well?"

"Yeah, Ollie," Courtney asked, a little smile on her face. "What is it?"

Oliver spoke through gritted teeth. "Kenco Pure Brazillian, dark and smokey."

A.C, Bart, Bruce, Courtney, and Victor all looked Carter's way with something akin to awe in their eyes. "Nice choice, Mamacita," Bart said in approval.

"I can see that," A.C agreed with a critical eye.

Chloe perked up. Maybe it wasn't so embarrassing after all. "Really?"

"A true conisseur," Bruce stated. "Impressive."

"Oh, please," Ollie scoffed. "I've seen better Brazillian's on a woman's..."

"Finish that sentence, Queen," Chloe glared. "I dare you."

Carter's lips curled into a wicked smirk he directed at the Archer. "I'm flattered you don't see me as nuts."

"I'm not nuts! Tell them, Tower. Tell them I'm not nuts!" Ollie demanded. "Go on!"

She rolled her eyes again. "Apparently I have to tell you he's not nuts."

He grinned triumphantly. "See?" Then, "What do you mean? Apparently?"

Chloe rubbed her left temple. "Okay, okay you're not nuts. Happy?"

The billionaire didn't have a chance to respond when Bart appeared between them, his speed having his own coffee description before Ollie could open his mouth to retort.

"Bart Allen, that's me by the way... Bart Allen, quick and easy, always where you need him to be and gets the job done. Instant brew."

He spun to face the room at large. "Here that, folks? I get the job done like that," and snapped his fingers.

Oliver smirked. "Yeah, I wouldn't brag about that, Impulse."

"Why not?" He asked in all seriousness. "She can have two of me before she has one of you. Instant is everywhere, so she can have me anytime she wants me."

"I'm zesty," A.C pointed out. "She'd wake up when she has me."

Carter was still looking at Ollie. "I give it to her straight."

"Can we all stop talking about my woman gets it?" He snapped.

Victor snorted. "And you say you're not nuts."

"For the last freaking time, I am not NUTS!"

Carter chuckled. "Sounds like Queen's losing his family jewels."

Ollie was all too quick to get in his face. "You wanna see how big my nuts are, Clucky?"

This time it was Bruce who commented. "Sounds like it isn't just Vic who's keeping something from us."

The Archer's wrath descended on the fellow billionaire. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Bruce merely shrugged. "You seem awfully eager to prove you still have your nuts. Whether Carter wants to see them is the question."

Everyone, including Oliver, turned to look at Carter. "You don't, right?"

"Little boys hold no interest for me."

Instead of rising to the bait, Ollie simply smirked. "Sorry, Bart. Guess you're out of luck."

"Says you, Peanut."

The entire room ceased to breathe.

Had Ollie and Carter just agreed on something?

"So, what's Bruce's coffee?" Courtney asked, once she got her sniggering under control.

Bruce gave the blonde a charming a smile. "Allow me," and moved to the computer. "Bruce Wayne, still waters hide riptides. Kenco Pure Costa Rican, dark and powerful."

Once more, Chloe found herself the target of Ollie's pouting and jealousy. "How come he gets dark and powerful, while I get nutty aroma?"

The sound of laughter came from A.C and Victor, and Chloe looked at them. "What?"

Both men quickly stopped. "Nothing," they innocently said.

"Uh-huh," she shook her head, fully able to imagine what they were thinking. "Keep it that way."

Ollie looked at his lady oddly. "Is there a, uh, particular reason why you gave me that, um, _aroma_?"

All attention was no wholly focused on her and she felt her face burn yet again. "What? NO! Oh God, no!"

No-one said a word and it was quite clear they didn't have too.

"You all think that I... _Sniff_ his family jewels?" That was just gross.

Even if she did like the smell of sex on him.

Still, no-one said a word.

Except for Bart, who seemed to have trouble knowing to keep quiet.

"Well, you do think Fishstick's zesty and R2-D2's fruity," he said with all reason. "Those are tastes, right? So what's to say you don't recognise Loony here by smell?"

"I'm not loony, crazy, or nuts."

Courtney agreed. "Bart's right, Chloe. Maybe that's how you recognise us."

A.C grinned. "And you recognise Ollie by the smell of his... OW! Dude," he glared at Victor. "Whaddya do that for?"

"Be thankful it was him and not me, Curry," Chloe threatened seriously.

A.C put a hand to his chest. "You'd hurt zesty little me?"

Victor copied A.C and put a hand to his heart. "Or me? Your fruity voice of reason?"

"Or me," Oliver treated them to a look usually reserved for Carter.

They immediately fell quiet. "Sorry, Chloe," they said like two chastised children.

She smiled brightly. "Of course I wouldn't hurt any of my boys."

Ollie shook his head in disgust as the two fully grown men puffed up their chests and squared their shoulders.

Seeing his reaction, Chloe rubbed his arm. "You're velvety."

His shoulders shrugged. "Well, I try."

Bart was right there in front of her. "Anything ya want, 'Licious? Am right here and can be over there in an instant."

"You're such a kiss ass, Allen," Courtney rolled her eyes before something occured to her. "Do I have a coffee?"

As Bruce was closest to the computer, he looked down the list, but found nothing and frowned. "I don't see one."

Bart looked at Chloe in confusion. "You didn't give Blue Eyes a coffee?"

"Oh," Courtney tried to keep a smile on her face. "That's okay. I mean I'm not nutty like Oliver or dark and powerful like Bruce..."

"That's cos you're not a coffee," Chloe stated with a smile.

"You're a strawberry milkshake," Bruce stated as he scrolled down to the Lady List.

"Ooh!" She exclaimed. "I like strawberry milkshakes!"

"Not the only one," Bart gave her a wink and received a smack across the back of his head courtesy of Carter.

Courtney grinned at Chloe. "Thanks!"

Green eyes twinkled. "At least someone sees their potential as a drink."

"Make no mistake, Chloe," came Bruce's most smoothest voice. "I appreciate being dark and powerful."

"I'm happy with zesty," A.C rubbed his chest in pride. "Though how did you get that?"

She shrugged. "Your clothes are citrusy coloured."

"Ah," Bart interrupted. "But which is your favourite?"


	2. Chapter 2

Title: The Extraordinary League of Caffeinated Substances

Authors: Stop Dreaming and Sunscorched

Email: Miss_.uk

Rating: PG

Category: Humour/Romance

Content: Chloe/Oliver

Summary: Chloe likes her men like she likes her coffee.

Disclaimer: I own nixies.

Distribution: Here, there, everywhere!

Notes: All credit for this fic belongs to Stop Dreaming.

Chloe was never honestly intimidated by anything or anyone, but when she had a roomful of people with superpowers staring at her and expecting an answer? She swallowed nervously and tugged on her shirt collar.

"Well?" Ollie asked, genuinely curious to know.

"I..."

She looked from Green Arrow, to Batman, to Hawkman, Impulse, Stargirl, Aquaman, Cyborg, and thanked God J'onn wasn't here to join in the fun.

The same thought hit every single one at the same time and the same wicked smile appeared on each face bar Courtney's.

For once in their lives, they had Watchtower cornered.

In a battle of wits, none of them could win if it was one-on-one, but hey. Safety in numbers.

Still, it seemed as though no-one was daring to go up against her.

"You don't have to be nervous, Tower," Ollie said, the genuine tone falling into something patronising and irritating. "We won't hurt you... Right?"

She so deserved this since making him out to be nuts.

Sensing the shift of power, all the others nodded.

"We wouldn't hurt you, Chloe," A.C said, crossed his arms in a way that enhanced the muscles brought on by years of swimming.

"Damn you," she hissed to Ollie, who smiled oh so innocently.

"Not at all," the voice was not that of Bruce, but that of the Bat.

The sound of something being thrown and caught made her turn around to see Bart over in the kitchen, each hand holding a jar of coffee. "We wouldn't hurt you, but nothing was said about these..." and she watched, horrified, as he began a rather clumsy juggle.

"I'll get him for you," Courtney spoke up.

All the men groaned. Trust a girl to stick up for another girl.

"Yes, please," Bart stopped juggling, only to find Carter right in front of his face.

"I like all of you," Chloe said honestly. "A.C is perfect when I'm in the mood for something with a little kick," and she looked at Bruce. "You've even said how much you liked A.C when you had him after that boring press conference last week."

A.C had a wary expression on his face. "Dude, when you say liked..."

Bruce was not one to let discomfort slide. "I'd very much enjoy you again," and then smirked at the visible blanching that came his way.

"And Victor, you enjoyed Ollie when you had lunch yesterday. Remember how well the nutty aroma complimented the spicy tomato pasta we had?"

Victor nodded. "She doesn't keep peanut butter and it hit the spot."

"And Bart, you remember how much you liked Carter after your last trip to Mexico?"

Carter narrowed his eyes at the boy in front of him. "You did?"

Bart rapidly nodded. "Dark and smokey goes well with traditional burritos."

"Hmm..."

"So you see," Chloe stated with a large smile. "The coffees are just like you. Each one with its own special qualities."

As she'd been speaking, Oliver had watched her movements and had practically heard the cogs working overtime. She was smart and very, very quick, but to turn it around and use them to do it? Genius.

He'd show no mercy.

"We've established that each particular flavour has own unique power, so to speak," he began and smirked. "I believe your favourite was questioned."

Green eyes promised vengeance. He knew her far too well.

Once again the center of attention, Chloe realised she'd been caught and sighed loudly. "Alright, alright. My favourite is none of you."

"What?"

Chloe glanced at the owner of the hurt voice. "I'm sorry, Courtney, but strawberry milkshakes isn't my thing."

"It's my thing," Bart took his chance and received another smack on the back of his head.

"Strawberry milkshakes are for, you know, cheeseburgers and fries when us girls have that..."

Courtney finished. "Ditch The Diet Day!"

Chloe nodded. "They're a treat, something you have when life and diets can go straight to hell."

"What about zest?" A.C asked, his lips slightly pouted. "Zest is good."

"And fruit is healthy," Victor added. "You can't go wrong with fruit."

A.C glared at his buddy. "Dude, I covered fruit with the zest."

"Your zest doesn't have my balance."

"I know, cos if it did, I'd be worried."

"Are you dissing my balance?"

A.C reached over and poked Victor on the shoulder, making him stumble. "You don't need my help."

Not to be outdone, Victor poked back and when A.C raised his finger again, Ollie whistled. "Guys, is it possible to act your age?"

"He started it!"

The billionaire sighed. "I guess so."

Carter snorted. "Now you know how I feel dealing with you on a regular basis."

Chloe squeezed the bridge of her nose. "Can we just finish in peace, please? I'd like to get this over with..."

"I bet you would," Bart accused from right behind her. "You wouldn't be in the spotlight and get away with naming us coffees and not having a favourite." He shook his head in shame. "That's low, Chloe. Real low and it hurts."

Ollie nodded his agreement. "I never expected you to be so cruel, Sidekick. I mean, don't we do everything you tell us?"

A.C and Victor caught on and equally nodded. "I always listen to you."

"What he said."

Ever the charmer, Bruce looked at the floor and heaved a sigh of sadness so great, it'd make a statue cry. "Without you, I'd still be fighting wars alone," he paused just long enough. "The war out there and the war in here."

It took everything Ollie had not to crack up at the Bat's words, but he managed. Bearly.

"I bring you flowers, Chloe," Bart said solemnly. "From all over the world."

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Bart, you bring me flowers from all over the world."

Carter's gaze darkened and he turned on the kid. "He does, does he?"

"My intentions are honorable."

Ollie frowned. Having people on his side might be a good thing, but another guy getting his woman flowers? What, did Allen think he never got her stuff like that? Cos he did. "I bring you flowers, too, Chloe."

She sighed affectionately. "They're lovely flowers."

Bart gasped. "And mine aren't? Mine come from the rainforest!"

"Yeah," A.C stared at him. "And you probably don't plant a replacement, either."

Bart had the decency to smile apologetically. "I'll go tomorrow and plant lots."

That meant a year from now, there was gonna be a news report about the startling amount of flowers sprouting up in the rainforest.

"Guys," Ollie halted that conversation before A.C had Bart as nature's very own Indiana Jones. "Aren't we forgetting something?"

Chloe tilted her head back and groaned at the ceiling. "Why me?"

"Why not?" Bruce asked.

"Because!"

"That's not an answer," Carter pointed out with a smirk.

She huffed. "Well, it'll have to do. Now if you don't mind, there's work to be done..."

Victor winked at Ollie. "You said it was time for a break and I haven't finished yet," to prove it, he shook his mug and took a very slow sip.

She glared. "Love you too, Vic."

Victor grinned. "I thought we keeping us a secret?"

Ollie coughed to cover up his snickers. Chloe hit the nail right on head when she said fruity. He turned to her. "Aw, Chlo... Isn't my rich and velvety nutty aroma not fruity enough for you?"

Bart sniggered. "Maybe she's just into double dipping."

Chloe and Ollie looked at him. "Double dipping what, Allen?"

He treated them both to his most innocent smile. "You know, double dipping? Maybe one doesn't do it for her."

Chloe felt all eyes on her again. "I can assure you that, no. I don't... Double dip and anyway," she looked at Bart. "What you know about double dipping?"

He shrugged. "I double dip my cookies."

"Riiight," Ollie drawled. "And that's all you know about double dipping."

Bart nodded. "I don't know what double dipping you and Chloe are talking about, but I always meant cookies dipped twice."

Chloe and Ollie refused to look at each other as everyone stared at them.

A.C was the first to speak. "Dude," he stated with no little respect. "You the man."

Carter chuckled. "Experimenting is always for the very young."

"We weren't experimenting!" Ollie snapped, then quickly closed his mouth at the look on Chloe's face.

"Now we know the reason behind the nutty aroma," Bruce spoke through laughter.

Chloe felt her face burn. "There's no double dipping! Not with Ollie or with anyone for that matter!"

Bart looked oh so innocent. "Then how come my words got twisted?"

Chloe stamped her foot. "Ollie! Tell them there's no double dipping!"

Ollie grinned wickedly. "Of course there's no double dipping... Unless you count my cookies, of course."

Victor's expression was that of disgust. "Man, that's just something we did not need to know."

"No, it wasn't," Chloe half snarled. "Oliver Queen..."

"It's impossible to double dip cookies," Ollie stated helpfully.

Carter grunted out another chuckle. "If cookies are all you have to brag about, I'm not surprised you can't double dip."

Bruce shared a knowing grin with Carter. "We all know what happens to cookies when they've soaked up too much liquid."

Ollie scowled as every male in the room laughed. "My cookies are solid, thank you very much."

"Hey!" Chloe yelled, her face a shade of purple that had yet to be invented. "No more about me double dipping with Ollie's cookies and can we not call them cookies?"

"Sorry, 'Licious," Bart grinned without repent. "So you were saying about your favourite and how it's none of us?"

Carter turned on Chloe and crossed his arms. "What is your favourite?"

"Apart from none of us," Courtney added in genuine curiosity.

"I know what it is," Ollie bragged.

"What is it?" A.C asked and everyone looked to him for the answer.

"Triple espresso," Ollie grinned and waited for Chloe to confirm.

"Nope!"

"See?" His grin only faltered when her word sank in. "Say what?"

"While a triple espresso does the trick, it's not my drink of choice."

"How come you never told me?" Ollie asked, dismayed.

"Because your head is so far up your ass, all you can hear is your own flatulance?" Carter offered.

"You want your head to join mine?" Ollie snapped.

"Maybe it's not Chloe who's double dipped," Carter smirked.

"What's that supposed to mean, Tweetie?"

Carter shrugged. "If there's enough room up there for your head and mine, then..."

Ollie smirked. "That says more about you than it does about me."

Carter glared. "Child."

"O.A.P."

"Come say that to my face..."

Chloe was quick to intervene before bloodshed and violence happened. "Now, now, boys."

Victor nudged A.C. "And she says she doesn't double dip."

He quickly shut up when Chloe stared at him. "What was that, Cyborg?"

"Nothing, Tower. Nothing at all."

"Don't forget I can program you to be gay."

"You can do that?" Courtney asked, her wide eyes went from Chloe to Victor.

A.C, Bart, Bruce, Carter, and Ollie all looked at Chloe. "So that's the plan for April 1st."

"Don't you dare," Victor warned seriously. "I'll go to the papers about Ollie's dissolving cookies."

"Vic," Ollie seriously said. "It would be so worth it!"

"Not the way I'd tell it and don't forget," Victor glared at Chloe. "I can plug myself into Watchtower and start a pornado."

"You can get porn on Watchtower?" Bart asked as he looked at all the monitors.

"Nice going, Cyborg," A.C whacked his buddy upside the head.

"Yeah," Chloe arched a brow. "Thanks so much."

Victor smiled a smile of victory. "Your local homosexual terminator says you're welcome."

Chloe and Ollie pulled a face that simply made him grin all the more.

"As much as admire Chloe," Bruce looked at the woman in question. "We're still none the wiser about your favourite."

Her expression clearly said _I hate you, Wayne_.

"Maybe she doesn't wanna tell us," Courtney said. "It's like you guys give us what we like for presents and if you know what she likes, she'll have a zillion of it."

"You know what's wrong with girls?" A.C said as he glared at Courtney. "They speak sense."

"As opposed to boys who think with their..."

"Courtney!"

"Sorry, Carter," and Courtney looked down in shame, but smiled when she saw Chloe's lips twitch.

"Hmm," Carter grunted, yet his own lips twitched. About time the girl started coming out of her shell.

"Another thing wrong with girls is they have brains and beauty," Bruce spoke up after he watched the silent conversation between Chloe and Courtney

"What's wrong with that?" Both women demanded.

"Nothing at all," he said in his most charming voice. "It's a very attractive combination and that is what's wrong."

Chloe rolled her eyes while Courtney blushed.

"Hey," Bart frowned at the Bat. "You can't do that."

Carter moved from Bart to stand beside Bruce and looked at the billionaire with a simple smile. "Hello."

Bart gave Bruce the thumbs up. Now he had a clear view of both ladies. "My life couldn't get any better."

"Wanna bet, Allen?" Ollie arched a brow. "I know a lovely place where you can get your kicks."

Carter gave the boy a warning. "I also know where he can get some kicks and it's not that far from where he is."

Ollie made a grand gesture. "Be my guest..."

Bart saluted them both as he went from where he was to the other side of the room before they could blink. "Catch me if you can."

Carter took a deep breath and Ollie spoke. "I'll trip him, you grab him."

"Agreed."

"I'll help you escape," Courtney smiled, then stuck her tongue out at her mentor.

"I blame you for this," Carter glared at Chloe.

"Why? What did I do?"

"Yeah," Ollie crossed his arms. "What did Chloe do?"

"Apart from teach her to ignore her manners?" Carter continued to glare.

"I did nothing of the sort!" Chloe exclaimed.

"Just like you didn't tell us your favourite?" Bruce smirked when she turned her female outrage on him.

Ollie laughed and shook his finger at Chloe. "You're too smart for your own good. Throwing us off topic and using us to do it? Tut tut."

"Alright, alright," Chloe said and threw her hands in the air in a sign of defeat. "My favourite is Senseo Brazil blend, which is soft and natural with delicious hints of caramel."

The room fell silent for a few moments before Bruce broke it. "I repeat," he said with a genuine smile. "A true conoisseur."

"I like that one, too," A.C added with a nod. "Chloe made it for me after my friend died."

Victor gave his buddy a sympathetic look. "Yeah, man, sorry about Strider. He was a good age?"

A.C nodded. "For a killer whale, yeah. That dude has a football team of kids, so not a total loss."

"Was that the drink you made me when I helped you put up the pictures here?" Courtney asked.

Chloe beamed at her and A.C. "Yes, it was."

"I liked it," and Chloe stood a bit straighter.

"So..." Courtney wondered aloud. "If the guys are coffees and the girls are milkshakes, what would you be?"

Chloe felt all eyes on her and she could hear the cogs ticking.

"Thanks, Courtney," she said sarcastically. "Thanks so much."


End file.
